I have noticed an interesting (and annoying) trend in our society. There are more and more people chugging their fancy coffees and teas... and BASHING us soda drinkers.

I admit it, soda sure ain't the greatest "habit" to have. Water makes way more sense, and I actually do chug way more H20 most days than I do "liquid gold" (aka SunDrop).

Yes, I know that my calorie-filled, sugar-laden drink of choice is not good for me, and that is why I dropped consumption way back. I was having anywhere from 3 to 5 a day, but now most days (when I am teaching) I have one or two cans. That's a HUGE decrease in my SunDrop consumption. When I am not in the classroom, and not forced to get up earlier than my body prefers, I can go days (sometimes over a week!) without it.

With that all said, why some folks still fill the need to toss out all the "facts" about the certain death I will face drinking soda does nothing to make me want to quit. Inboxing me graphics that outline my toothless future and brittle bones, compounded with the reason I am so chunky MUST be the SunDrop... that doesn't make me wanna quit either. (By the way, the "roundness" could be due to my lack of regular exercise and my love of all things FOOD, folks. Ponder it!)

Even more recently, when people tell me they believe (as most Americans now do according to surveys) that sugar is more dangerous than a joint... well, when people tell me that, it doesn't make me want to ditch my SunDrop. It actually makes me laugh. I am fairly certain my SunDrop love is not anywhere as dangerous as lighting up to get high constantly. Unlike drugs, SunDrop has yet to damage my relationships, my ability to perform my duties as a mom and teacher, and so on.

The irony is a lot of people of all ages and walks of life who have felt the urge to inform me of how bad soda is are far from perfect. I have watched them use all kinds of artificial sweeteners and strange factory-created flavor enhancements in coffees, teas, etc. I don't try to convince them they are killing themselves. I figure they must like that junk and let them be... that is until recently.

That's right, as of today I am declaring I will no longer be bullied, ridiculed, or treated like a second-class citizen for having my soda. - SunDrop is my golden rays of sunshine in the morning (even on those gray mornings). - I like it. It tastes great. - Put it over ice if ya wanna "dress it up" or just go straight from the can or bottle. - I don't drink gallons of it by the hour. I still consume more water than any beverage on most days. - It gets me through the work day. Face it kids, you want me on SunDrop! - My love of it has no dangerous impact upon anyone around me. I've yet to go on a SunDrop binge and harm those I love in acts of rage. Never have I been so into the SunDrop that I have passed out across my desk unsure of where I am and why I am in Missouri when I really should be in Kashmir.

Let's face it, someday when all these coffee-crazed folks find out a lot of what they are chugging may end up causing health issues, I really don't think they would want someone treating them the way people have been treating me. So odds are people will be kinder, unless some site like UpWorthy can create a cool infographic that people believe and NBC does a poll that shows people find LSD safer than MochaLatteFrappeChuLuFrozenIceParticle. <-- Yes, I made that up. Blame it on the SunDrop.